Sprout Day 55 (Saturday, May 21st, 2016)

We had another huge milestone today as we crossed into a new state, New York! It's an amazing feeling to cross a state line and know you've walked into the new state! I'm excited for New York.  I've heard it's a beautiful part of the trail and I'm excited to see what it has to offer.  So far we’ve hiked over giant rocks and we eventually could see a faint view of the New York City skyline off in the distance! It's so crazy to be able to see the city from here on top of a mountain. We came across an American flag and it was placed perfectly to where we could see the city right behind the flag. I felt thankful to be an American and to be able to experience all the feelings and emotions the trail gives you.

The rocks in New York are different than the rocks in Pennsylvania or New Jersey.  There's still a lot of rocks but they're bigger boulder type rocks.  There were a couple of spots today that were straight up, we were basically rock climbing to the next blaze! It was scary and tough but so much fun.  This has been one of my favorite parts of the trail.  

We knew we were crossing a spot where there was a hot dog stand and an ice cream shop and we were pretty excited about that. We got to the road and started walking on the side.  It's a busy road but the hotdog stand is super close.  The guy didn't take cards so we had to go to the ice cream shop first, I don't have problem eating dessert first!  The ice cream was made on the spot and was really good.  I got a twixmix on the bottom and strawberry on top, it was exactly what I needed!  The hot dogs were some of the best I've ever had!  The guy was funny and very confident in his product.  Bubbles asked him what his favorite hot dog was and in his deep voice he said, “It doesn't matter what dog you get, any dog out of here will be the best dog you've ever had.”  I was sold and got two with everything on them, slaw, coney sauce, onions, cheese, and mustard.  He was right he has a good coney dog and it definitely hit the spot.  

After filling our bellies we only had a couple of miles to hike to camp.  We made it there, set up, and relaxed.  We didn't have to cook too much.  We were full and happy!

New York City Skyline off in the distance

Huge black snake!!!!

New state baby!!!!!

Getting closer to New York City

View on the trail today

Bubbles and I

Climbing boulders today!

Bubbles on the trail next to a white blaze

Going straight up

Bubbles first

Greenwood Lake

Trail today

Bubbles on the trail

It's amazing that plants can find a place to grow on top of rocks

Blaze on a rock

819 miles to Katahdin!

1360 miles to Springer!

Bubbles enjoying her ice cream

So good

Bubbles ordering her hotdogs

The works

Beautiful views today!

Day:  55

Miles hiked:  12.1

Total Miles hiked on the trail: 512.1

Bears:   0

Butterflies:  8

Chipmunks:  3

Cows:  24

Crawfish:  1

Deer:  20

Donkeys:  2

Horses:  12

Inchworm:  1

Really Big Dog:  1

Mice:  2

Nest of bugs:  2

Newt:  1

Owl:  1

Rabbit:  1

Skunk:  1

Snail:  1

Snakes:  2

Squirrels:  11

Toads:  2

Trout:  2

Turkeys:  4

Turtles:  107

Vultures:  6

Woodpecker:  1

Bubbles Day 55 (Saturday, May 21st, 2016)

Today is Mb's birthday.  Happy birthday sister and thank you for helping out with this blog so all our family and friends know we are still alive and thriving. :) you are amazing.  And while I am doing shoutouts a special thanks to my sister Kathleen and my brother-in-law Shane. They are watching our dog Lennon (who I miss more and more every single day).  She is not an easy dog to watch.  She is high maintenance and can be crazier than me (if that's even possible) without them I don't know what we would do. Thank you, thank you, thank you! We love you!

Anyway back to the woods talk.  Today was AWESOME!  The hike was challenging but so cool. We walked into New York today and I am so happy about it.  We got to climb a ladder that was really just rebar drilled into the side of the mountain.  It was exciting and challenging.  I did it with my 40 pound pack on and felt like a badass.  There was a lot of rock climbing and up and downs but it wasn't too bad.  It was exciting to be in a new state.

We stopped 2.6 miles from the shelter at a hotdog stand.  The owner Bud wasn't the friendliest, which was an immediate challenge for me.  I was going to make this man smile if it killed me.  I succeeded and it felt great.  He makes a wicked good hotdog sauce.  My dad would have loved it.  He had a special; two hotdogs with sauce, a bag of chips, and a cold can of pop for 5.50.  I was sold.  Actually, we ate ice cream first and then hotdogs. We enjoyed some ice cream with Disco and Chicken Foot.  

I want to tell you how amazing these two are. They took their shoes off in front of me and I almost cried for Chicken Foot.  Her feet were bloody and blistered.  And the girl didn't complain. She was still smiling.  I think that is incredible and really inspiring.  They are always so upbeat when I see them and it makes my heart warm.  Disco's feet needed some TLC but again, no complaints.  They were doing a really long day too, like 20+ miles!  They have to make it to bear mountain by Monday to go into the city. Kudos to them. They are ROCK STARS!  I hope we catch them after the wedding we are attending this weekend.

The shelter area was alive with Boy Scouts when we got there. Yayyy!  The kids were so friendly and it was great to talk to them. I asked the couple of Eagle Scouts what their final projects were and I was really impressed.  One boy showed me that if you chew on black birch twigs it tastes like root beer, and it did!  So cool. Thanks for that kids. They are training to go hike 12 days at Philmont, New Mexico.  That sounds like the experience of a lifetime. I am jealous! I want to go to Boy Scout camp. :)  It reminded me of my dad and the stories he has told me about hiking with his scouts in Philmont. One Boy Scout  was hiking with an ax, saw, and a Dutch oven to make monkey bread! He said his pack weighed over 50 pounds. He was awesome!

There were some thru hikers from Georgia, but again most of them aren't worth talking about because they either weren't friendly to us or acted entitled to the shelter and were very territorial or acted annoyed with the Boy Scouts, which I don't put up with.  Those kids need to be out in the woods experiencing this.  If grown adults can't see that, they can bug off in my opinion.

We put up our home (tent) as we do almost every night.  I want to clarify that I've met some hikers that are amazing from Georgia but for every nice hiker there are probably five that I will shortly forget because they weren't nice.  Life is too short to be unfriendly, that's why I smile until my face hurts and always look on the bright side of life.

Straight up the side of a rock!

One sprout coming up!

He made it!!

Sprout on the trail

Sprout climbing on rocks

Sprout on the rock

Hotdog special

Mountain Man, Karma, Bubbles, Sprout, Whiskers, Disco, and Chicken Foot

Bubbles - Day 5 Friday, April 1 (posted out of order)

Let me begin by saying five is my lucky number!!

Day five was exhilarating and filled with new experiences.  There were a few hiccups, but overall it was GREAT.  We woke up super early and tried to quietly get ready for the day.   Anyone who knows me is aware that I am the WORST at being quiet!  I slowly got my act together while Jeff took off.  

We had plans to meet at the summit of High Top Mountain (Elevation 3514 feet) for breakfast (we like to break camp and walk a while before we stop to have breakfast together.) It started storming shortly after Jeff left, with lightning off in the far distance. That got my behind into gear!  We quickly left the shelter with all our rain gear on.  It rained, but not terribly hard or for long.  We found Jeff on top of the mountain!  He told us he liked watching the storm and fog roll over the mountains.  We told him that the next time a storm rolls in he should get down off the mountain and meet us at the closest gap or safe place (especially considering he has already been struck by lightning - through a tree at BoyScout camp - once!!)

On the way down the mountain I successfully dug a cat-hole for the first time! I tried for two months to take a dump in Cuyahoga Valley National Park on our day hikes.  Much to my dismay, I could never go when I had the opportunity.  I was pretty jacked to join the club!  

We had a happy day of hiking and walked into the middle of the Shenandoah section at Swift Run Gap.  Eight miles later, we arrived at the Lewis Camp Store, which just happened to open the day we arrived!  When I strolled up to the camp store Robby, Jeff, and the White Walkers were lounging on the front porch.  

We sat for about an hour and waited for the showers to open while the White Walkers headed to Bearfence Hut (the first shelter Robby and I stayed in while on our Shakedown in March). The showers were super hot, felt wonderful, and only cost $1 dollar for five minutes. I naturally took a 10-minute shower and then washed my clothes in the sink.  You have no idea how happy I was to put on fresh clothes and smell less oniony.

We finished our visit to the camp store shopping for some necessities.  We couldn't resist two packages of hotdogs and buns.  I am a sucker for roller dogs, especially over the fire.  Also, sitting on the newly stocked store shelf, was a sparkling can of chilidog sauce! I lightweight started dancing!!! We wanted to buy the supplies for s'mores too, but stopped ourselves.

As always, Jeff had his pack together before us and took off for Bearfence Hut.  As soon as we got packed up the lady who worked at the store told us, "A storm is a brewin', I just saw lightnin’.’’

Robby and I took off in our crocks. I had my boots swaying off the back of my pack and all of my rain gear hanging off my bag.  I also had a bag of chips and a pack of hotdog buns in one hand and my walking sticks in the other hand.  Also, while it's awesome to resupply, it makes the pack much heavier. To top off the situation, in the rush to get to the shelter (which was only one mile away), I forgot to buckle my hip belt.  This made all of my pack weight fall on my shoulders.

It started to rain hard and we heard thunder.  We took off down the side of the mountain.  As you might expect, I slipped on a rock and sprained my ankle!  I landed straight on my pack, like a ninja turtle stuck on its shell!  I lie there thinking, "Really? Really?"  And then the laughter started. I was laughing so hard as I struggled to get up off my pack.  I learned a valuable lesson.  Don't hike in unstable shoes with full hands!

When Robby realized I wasn't behind him he waited until I limped down the trail (looking like a sad, wet puppy dog.)  We laughed and got to where we were going safety.

When we got to the shelter I was shocked that Jeff hadn't beat us.  We did take a shorter route across the campground, but I still thought Jeff would make it to the shelter first.  Five minutes later Jeff came barreling down the mountain and told us he got turned around!  

Our night ended with a huge blazing fire and we roasted our hotdogs with the White Walkers. I've learned that birch bark is a good fire starter. I am pretty jacked about my growing fire skills. I have a nice little bundle in my pack from a tree we were burning.  Robby and I were saying we would like to learn primitive fire making skills.

This journey just gets better and better!